Studying at the ifs School of Finance is about more than simply getting a degree. Our city locations and the professional environment we provide, give you the opportunity to develop essential life and professional skills whilst also enjoying access to a wealth of enriching culture and entertainment.    

London

London offers an extensive metropolitan life-style that is unmatched anywhere else in the world. The ifs campus, in the heart of the financial district, is surrounded by a plethora of history, culture and entertainment opportunities .

Within a few minutes of the campus by foot or underground you’ll find the iconic historical sites of the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. For art lovers, the Tate Modern, the National Gallery and the South Bank Centre are within easy reach while theatre goers are spoilt for choice with the West End a few minutes away and Shakespeare’s Globe theatre a stone’s throw across the river. 

Mayfair, Oxford Street and Soho, some of the most famous entertainment and shopping districts in the world are a short tube journey away, with their with their diverse restaurants, buzzing nightlife scenes and flagship stores.  The ifs is also well located for fashionable parts of London such as Camden, Shoreditch, Old Street and Brick Lane whose trendy bars, restaurants and clubs are destinations for an incredibly diverse mixture of music, art and food lovers.

Birmingham

Birmingham is the UK’s second largest city. It’s a lively, dynamic, multicultural metropolitan city offering a world class cultural scene, superb shopping, fantastic nightlife and access to some of the UK’s most breath-taking countryside.
Home to some 50,000 students, Birmingham is a city tailored for every student’s needs with a nightlife that really stands out. There is always something to do whatever your  preference with plenty of bars and clubs located on the well known Broad Street, Mailbox and Brindley Place areas. Cafes and restaurants situated all over the city deliver every type of cuisine imaginable. The diversity of the music scene covers every genre you could imagine, the city is bursting with house, R & B, drum and bass, rock, 70’s & 80’s, indie, jazz, soul, garage and even classical hosted at the Birmingham Symphony Hall, one of the world’s finest concert halls.

Birmingham has a fine tradition of shopping amenities, playing host to the renowned Bullring, one of Europe’s largest shopping developments. Birmingham is also host to many great events and shows and has an artistic scene that reflects the softer side of the city. The Alexandra, Hippodrome and Birmingham Repertory Theatres often have the latest opera, screen-play and comedy acts performing and the many art galleries really encapsulate the city’s modernisation.

Leeds

As the fourth largest city in the UK, Leeds is exciting and ever growing. It frequently ranks among the most popular student destinations in the country as well as being a cost effective place to study. From one of the best shopping experiences outside London, to restaurants serving up international cuisine from around the world, Leeds has much to offer.

Leeds has a thriving social scene with its clubs, bars and pubs offering something for every taste. It has some excellent music venues and festivals, which have played host to some of the world’s biggest names, and a reputation for being one of the UK’s favourite clubbing destinations.

Art galleries, historic sites and sculpture parks in and around Leeds house some of the finest art collections in the UK and for those who enjoy the great outdoors, there are plenty of open spaces to explore. For sports fans, Leeds is well known for its legendary sporting heritage and is home to a number of renowned football, cricket and rugby clubs.

Students’ union

All students based at the ifs London Campus are entitled to become associate members of the University of London Union (ULU). ULU is located on Malet Street in central London, just a short journey from the ifs on the underground. ULU comprises the major universities in London and is run for students by students themselves. Membership entitles you to get involved with everything that ULU has to offer including access to bars, places to eat, entertainment, clubs and societies.

Students based at the ifs Birmingham and Leeds campuses will have access to each college’s active Students’ Union, which organise trips, social and sporting events.

The Students’ Unions are run by the students themselves and being a member means you are entitled to apply for an NUS card, which enables you to get discounts locally and nationally on clothes, books, music, cinema tickets, travel clubs and restaurants.